Citation

Watt K, Purdie DM, Roche AM, McClure RJ. Alcohol Alcohol. 2005.

Affiliation

Australian Centre for Pre-Hospital Research; Northern California Cancer Center, USA; National Centre of Education and Training in the Addictions, Flinders Univ; Epidemiology and Community Care, Injury Program, School of Medicine, Griffith Univ, Australia

Copyright

(Copyright © 2005, Oxford University Press)

DOI

10.1093/alcalc/agh164

PMID

15851398

Abstract

AIMS: The aim of this study was to quantify the relationship between acute alcohol consumption and injury type (nature of injury, body region injured), while adjusting for the effect of known confounders (i.e. demographic and situational variables, usual drinking patterns, substance use and risk-taking behaviour). METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted between October, 2000 and October, 2001 of patients aged >/=15 years presenting to a Queensland Emergency Department for treatment of an injury sustained in the preceding 24 h. There were three measures of acute alcohol consumption: drinking setting, quantity, and beverage type consumed in the 6 h prior to injury. Two variables were used to quantify injury type: nature of injury (fracture/dislocation, superficial, internal, and CNS injury) and body part injured (head/neck, facial, chest, abdominal, external, and extremities). Both were derived from patient medical records. RESULTS: Five hundred and ninety three patients were interviewed. Logistic regression analyses indicated that, after controlling for relevant confounding variables, there was no significant association between any of the three measures of acute alcohol consumption and injury type. CONCLUSIONS: The effects of acute alcohol consumption are not specific to injury type. Interventions aimed at reducing the incidence of alcohol-related injury should not be targeted at specific injury types.